Sedum plant named ‘Rainbow Xenox’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Sedum  plant named ‘Rainbow Xenox’, characterized by its upright plant habit; sturdy and strong branches; attractive greyed purple-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Hylotelephium spectabile.

Cultivar denomination: ‘RAINBOW XENOX’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Sedum plant, botanically known as Hylotelephium spectabile and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Rainbow Xenox’.

The new Sedum plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Rijpwetering, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new strong and healthy Sedum cultivars with numerous attractive flowers.

The new Sedum plant originated from an open-pollination during the summer of 2004 in Rijpwetering, The Netherlands, of an unnamed selection of Hylotelephium spectabile, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown selection of Hylotelephium spectabile, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Sedum was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rijpwetering, The Netherlands during the summer of 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Sedum plant by vegetative cuttings in a controlled environment in Rijpwetering, The Netherlands since the summer of 2005, has shown that the unique features of this new Sedum plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Sedum have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Rainbow Xenox’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Rainbow Xenox’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Sedum:

-   -   1. Upright plant habit.     -   2. Sturdy and strong branches.     -   3. Attractive greyed purple-colored flowers.     -   4. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Sedum differ from plants of the female parent selection primarily in flower color as plants of the female parent selection have yellow green-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Sedum can be compared to plants of Sedum telephium ‘Sunkissed’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,927. Plants of the new Sedum and ‘Sunkissed’ differ primarily in flower color as plants of ‘Sunkissed’ have yellow-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Sedum plant, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Sedum plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Rainbow Xenox’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the second sheet is a close-up view of typical inflorescences of ‘Rainbow Xenox’.

The photograph at the bottom of the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical leaf of ‘Rainbow Xenox’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in Rijpwetering, The Netherlands, under commercial practice during the autumn in an outdoor nursery with day temperatures ranging from 12° C. to 25° C. and night temperatures ranging from 2° C. to 14° C. Plants used in the photographs and description were two years old. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Hylotelephium spectabile ‘Rainbow Xenox’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed selection of Hylotelephium             spectabile, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Hylotelephium             spectabile, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About 15 to 20 days at 18° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About two months at             16° C. to 22° C.         -   Root description.—Moderately thick and moderately fleshy;             white to medium brown in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; moderately             dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form/habit.—Herbaceous perennial; upright plant habit;             inverted triangle; moderately vigorous growth habit; basally             branching habit with about four basal branches developing             per plant.         -   Plant height.—About 17.4 cm.         -   Plant width (spread).—About 17.6 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 11.7 cm. Diameter: About             5 mm. Internode length: About 3.9 cm. Strength: Strong.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 144C tinged with             close to 177B to 177C. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple; sessile.         -   Length.—About 5.9 cm.         -   Width.—About 3.9 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Apex.—Broadly acute.         -   Base.—Truncate.         -   Margin.—Irregularly and shallowly dentate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous;             succulent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Between N137B and             147A; towards the base, tinged with close to 184A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 148B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N137A; venation,             close to 144B to 144C. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface:             Close to 191A; venation, close to 144B to 144C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type/habit.—Small rotate flowers arranged in terminal             compound cymes; flowers face upright to slightly outward;             freely flowering habit with about 1,500 flower buds and             flowers developing per plant.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Continuously flowering from August             to late October in The Netherlands.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Flowers last about two weeks on             the plant; flowers persistent.         -   Flower buds.—Height: About 3.5 mm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.             Shape: Ovate. Color: Close to 186C to 186D; towards the             base, close to 194A to 194B.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 7.3 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 6.1 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 4 mm.         -   Flower depth.—About 4 mm.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single             whorl; petals fused at the base. Length: About 3 mm. Lobe             width: About 1 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: When opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 159A             to 159B. Fully opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             159A to 159B, flushed with close to 186D.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single             whorl, fused at the base. Length: About 2 mm. Width: About             1 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When             opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 194A to 194B.             Fully opened, upper and lower surfaces: Between 194A to 194B             and 148B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 6.3 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Angle: Erect to about 35° from vertical. Strength:             Moderately strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close             to 144C tinged with close to 177B to 177C.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 2 mm. Diameter: About 0.7 mm. Angle:             Erect to about 40° from vertical. Strength: Moderately             strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 144A to             144B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: None observed. Pistils:             Quantity per flower: Five. Pistil length: About 3 mm. Stigma             shape: Pointed. Stigma color: Close to 64A. Style length:             About 2 mm. Style color: Close to 186D; towards the apex,             close to 64B; color becoming closer to 185A with             development. Ovary color: Close to 155B to 155C; color             becoming closer to 185A with development.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Sedum have not been noted     to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Sedum. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Sedum have been observed to     have good garden performance and tolerate rain and wind. Plants of     the new Sedum tolerate high temperatures of about 35° C. and are     winter hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone 5. 

1. A new and distinct Sedum plant named ‘Rainbow Xenox’ as illustrated and described. 